> > I (and many,many other Americans) chose to be your adversary on each of
> > these points.

I don't. I'm a born and bred citizen of the US, and you don't speak for
me.

> So 50 to 60 thousand PREVENTABLE traffic deaths a year is OK?

Absolutely not. I've been making this point for years.

> 10 of thousands of PREVENTABLE gun deaths a year is OK?

No.

> Having a president who has a narrow 'us vs them' view of the
> world and engages in a war in Iraq which costs over 900 American lives
> (and dozens of lives of other friendly nationals)
> to destroy WHAT weapons of mass destruction, is OK?

No. Personally I wish our president would go over there in person without
a bodyguard and appologize for our invasion.

> > I also choose to behave in a much less inflammatory manner. I respect your
> > position and I expect you to respect mine.

Why should I respect your position? If I knew you, I might be willing to
respect *you*, but not your position. I respect your right to hold that
position.

> > We like our culture and are willing to do whatever is necessary to maintain
> > it.

Maybe you do. I, on the other hand, actually believe in the constitution
of the USA. And I don't like our president using irrational fear to
trample over the Bill of Rights.

> And don't get me started on deaths by tobacco, alcohol or drug abuse.

[Rant on]
I *just* had somebody deliver a shipment of medical supplies needed by
my wife who is extremely ill. The smell of tobacco smoke still reeks in
our house.

I fail to understand how *any* rational person can smoke, let alone those
in the medical profession.
[Rant off]

> > John Ferrell
> > http://DixieNC.US
> 
> I wonder if your Californian or mid-western states feel the same way.

I'm from central Pennsylvania, and I still think John's position needs
to be rethought.

> If the billions being spent on homeland security were spent
> on gun control or improved traffic safety, you'd be saving far
> more lives per dollar spent. As has been amply demonstrated by

To heck with that. Throw 10% of that money into education and you'll
probably solve all those problems within a generation. And the other
90% could be used to pay off the deficit.

> If terrorists want to strike within the USA, they WILL.

Ayup. And we don't even have to go outside our own borders. It was
a native who hit Oklahoma City.

So far the US has been extremely lucky. Most countries have seen far
more terrorism than the US ever had.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! DCX - it takes off and lands base down,
jay@sprucegrove.com     !       as God and Robert Heinlein intended.
http://enerd.ws/robots/ !
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